Home Improvements, or Else?

During a Quincy City Commission meeting Tuesday night, proposed changes to the property maintenance code were introduced to the public. The changes apply to residents who have complaints filed against them by another resident, etc.

Kirk Tanis says, "We send a notice of violation, we give generally 15 days to correct the violation. We will give an extension of 15 additional days. If the violation is not brought into compliance, they are subpoenaed to the code enforcement board."

Tanis says the enforcement board will have the power to assess fines against those properties, and would give the property owners a time limit to pay off the fines, and if the problems are not corrected within that time, additional fines will be given in the form of a lien.

Debora Williams says, "People don't understand that these are going to be liens against their property. People are going to lose their homes that they've had, probably in generations. They'll lose their properties."

Quincy resident Debora Williams says grant money the city says it will give residents to assist them in making the necessary repairs to their homes is really loan money, which residents will to pay back with interest.

Debora says, "This grant has to be paid back. They sugar coated it as if it was free money. This money has to be paid back, which will put a lien against your property, and if it's 30 or 40 thousand dollars, these people can't pay these kind of prices here."

Tanis says the city wanted to research other avenues and programs in order to make the code enforcement process more efficient in an effort to raise property standards.

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